There’s something about perfectly designed kids’ rooms that just hits me differently. Those immaculately curated spaces that look like they’ve been lifted straight from a design catalog – they still make my heart do a little somersault.
I stumbled upon Architect Aude Pon’s Instagram (@aude.pns) recently, and her son Gaspard’s bedroom is one of those spaces that makes me wish time travel was possible, if only to retroactively redesign my own childhood room.
Let’s take a look at her loft bed with dresser hack that’s been making waves on social media.
MALM Loft Bed with Dresser Hack
The project began with a standard 6-drawer MALM chest from IKEA, not only for storage but to serve as the base for a loft bed.
Building the Platform
To create the loft bed, they placed a sturdy wood board on top of the MALM chest, supported by wood frames built by her husband, Bastien. This clever layout also forms a secret den beneath the bed, which I’m sure Gaspard will find countless reasons to crawl into and play.
Unlike other hackers who often use the TROFAST step unit as a staircase, Bastien opted to build their own custom stairs out of plywood.
Adding a Touch of Magic: The Wave Wall
The most outstanding feature of this project is the wave wall behind the bed. Aude drew the desired wave shape directly onto the wooden panel. Once she outlined the shape, she used a jigsaw to make an initial cut about 5 cm above the drawn line. Then she made a more precise cut along the drawn shape to create the wave.
After cutting out the wave shape, they kept the 5 cm strip from the initial cut. This strip served as a support for the LED lights. They glued this strip to the back of the panel, positioning it about 5 cm below the wave edge. Every cut edge was sanded smooth before they moved on to attaching the LED strip lights onto the support strip.
To ensure the wave wall was stable, they used leftover wood pieces to create small support blocks. These blocks were glued in several places behind the panel for additional stability. When it came to mounting the wave wall, they had two options: either screw it directly into the wall, placing screws at the support blocks, or use a no-drill adhesive system like 3M Command Strips. They chose the latter.
Finally, they plugged in the LED strip lights to bring the wave wall to life.
Painting the MALM Chest
To ensure the entire setup looked cohesive, Aude painted the MALM chest and the front plywood rail to match. She chose Dulux’s Vert Céladon (Celadon Green), a rich blue-green that perfectly complemented the sea theme. To ensure the paint adhered properly, she first sanded down both the MALM chest and the plywood rail. Then, using a small roller, she applied several coats of the paint.
Aude offers a practical tip for those who might be reluctant to sand the surfaces: conduct a paint test. Simply apply a bit of paint, let it dry thoroughly and then scratch the surface lightly. Depending on the quality of your paint, it might adhere well without sanding. If the paint peels, sanding (and possibly priming) is the way to go.
The little guy loves his new bed with a secret den.
Follow Aude on Instagram @aude.pns for more design inspiration and ideas.
Looking for more MALM ideas? Don’t miss our page dedicated to IKEA MALM hacks.
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